F1 Classic

Gilles Villeneuve egy szenzációs bemutatkozás után, amit Silverstone-ban abszolvált egy McLaren M23-assal, 1977 végén a Ferrarinál találta magát. Lauda már megnyerte a bajnokságot, és faképnél hagyta a Commendatorét, aki Villeneuve-öt ültette a helyére. Az immár kétszeres világbajnok osztrák a…

A chat with Pino Allievi who knew Enzo Ferrari from the end of 1960s.    Enzo Ferrari and Pino Allievi (right) at a press meeting © La Gazzetta dello Sport   When did you first meet Enzo Ferrari? It was the end of the 1960s in Monza. I was not a journalist yet, I studied. He came for some…

Walter Wolf worked together with Villeneuve in CanAm in 1977. And then he paved Gilles’ way to Maranello. We spoke on phone in November 2015. How do you remember meeting Gilles for the first time?I met him first in Formula Atlantic. Then he drove for me in CanAm. One day I got a call from…

Thirtyfive years ago Enzo Ferrari decided to replace his World Champion driver, Jody Scheckter with Frenchman Didier Pironi. He was paired with the team’s established darling, Gilles Villeneuve. After the announcement which came in Imola before the 1980 Italian Grand Prix, on Ferrari’s home…

Bernie Ecclestone has been involved in Formula 1 for more than half a century. As a promoter of Formula One he would like to have drivers like Gilles Villeneuve mixing it up today. How do you remember Gilles?I think it’s difficult for me to say I remember anything particular. Certainly, he was,…

Carlos Reutemann was Gilles’ first team mate at Ferrari. Now an Argintinian Senator, Lole remembers fondly his former Canadian colleague. Do you remember Gilles’ arrival at Ferrari? It was at the end of 1977 when Niki stopped. Gilles was then signed for the next season. We practiced a lot…

René Arnoux is known for many great drives in Formula One, but there is one in particular that stands out in the memories of all Formula One fans...Dijon 1979!   What is your first recollection of Gilles Villeneuve? When did you meet him? I don’t remember exactly. Probably I saw him first…

Marco Piccinini was the Sport Director of the Ferrari Formula 1 team between 1978-1988. In this capacity he had the closest view of Gilles Villeneuve’s entire Ferrari period. You became Direttore Sportivo when Gilles Villeneuve became part of the team. What was the situation inside Ferrari now…

Five-time Grand Prix winner and runner up in the ”nightmare” 1982 World Championship, John Watson moved on to commentate on Formula One for the Eurosport. In true John Watson fashion he has a firm opinion on Gilles Villeneuve.   In 1977 at Silverstone Gilles Villeneuve appeared in Formula 1.…

Brenda Vernor first came to Modena in 1962. Here she met the English racing driver Mike Parkes who was driving for Ferrari. At this time she was teaching English in Italy. Piero Ferrari was one of her students. She became secretary to Enzo Ferrari doing his translations from English to Italian for…

Patrick Tambay was Gilles Villeneuve’s closest friend among Formula One drivers. They both arrived in Formula One in the summer of 1977. Five years later, in March 1982, Tambay thought his adventure at the pinnacle of racing was over.  He left the Grand Prix scene and sought employment in other…

Sergio Vezzali was a Ferrari mechanic from 1958 to 1993. He was responsible for Gilles Villeneuve’s cars while he drove for Ferrari. Still living in Maranello, Vezzali, now 81, fondly remembers Gilles.   When did you first meet Gilles? On the very first day he came to Maranello. He had his…

Chris Amon was among those who recognised Gilles Villeneuves’s talent very early. What’s more, he adviced his team boss to hire Gilles intead of himself. That’s how he remembers all this. Where and when did you get to know Gilles? I knew of Gilles from his exploits in Formula Atlantic and…

Jeff V. Hutchinson was a prominent member of Formula 1 journalists who followed the sport during the romatic era of the 1970s and 1980s. He has his own view of Gilles Villeneuve. Did Ferrari take a big risk hiring Villeneuve to replace Lauda at the end of 1977? Not really, he was obviously a…

Mario Andretti, World Champion of 1978, at 74 years of age, is a living legend of Formula One. He spoke to me about an another legend who died at just 32: Gilles Villeneuve. Villeneuve A Racing Legend! Buy the Book http://t.co/dSK6XzxVPU   What is your first memory of Gilles? It was when he…

Italian Grand Prix correspondent Pino Allievi (Corriere dello Sport) had the privilege of closely observing Gilles Villeneuve throughout his career in Formula One. We discussed the great Canadian driver.   When Niki Lauda announced he was moving to Brabham was Ferrari in a panic to replace him?…

Antonio Tomaini - race engineer of Gilles Villeneuve at Scuderia Ferrari. He has fond memories of the Canadian legend. He has recently answered my questions.  After Lauda left Ferrari Gilles came as a totale novice. What was your opinion on Gilles after your first meeting? It was Monday after…

This time former Michelin sport boss Pierre Dupasquier remembers Gilles Villeneuve answering my questions. When Enzo Ferrari asked you after the Italian GP in 1977 to have Michelin for 1978 you both didn't know that Ferrari wouldn't have Niki Lauda for the next season - but a novice: Villeneuve.…

(Fotó: Ferrari Archive, Maranello) Azt szokták mondani, Olaszországban két vallási hely létezik: Vatikán és Maranello. E kettő először 1988-ban, 25 éve találkozott, amikor II. János Pál felkereste Enzo Ferrari székhelyét.A Commendatore kapcsolata a vallással, az egyházzal sosem…

Enzo Ferrari vörös gépei előbb-utóbb mindenütt győztek, ahol elindultak. Egy helyszín maradt ki a sikerlistáról, tán örökre: az Indianapolis 500. Azt mondják, mindez azért történt így, mert a Commendatore Olaszországból nézve tényleg csak egy nagyszabású kalandnak tartotta…

Harminc évvel a rettenetes 1982-es Forma-1-es szezon után egyre több olyan vélemény jelenik egykori szemtanúk, barátok részéről, ami alaposan átrajzolja a San Marinói Nagydíjon született végeredményt és az azt követő zolderi tragédiát. A Ferrari csapatban 1981 óta az addigra…

Fernando Alonso előtt egyetlen spanyol Forma-1-es pilótáról érdemesmegemlékezni: Alfonso Antonio Vicente Eduardo Angel Blas Francisco de Borja Cabeza de Vaca y Leightonról, azaz röviden Alfonso de Portago márkiról. Aki 55 éve lelte halálát az utolsó Mille Miglia körversenyen.A…

Hosszú évekig hittem s voltam rá rettentő büszke, hogy egy napon születtem Enzo Ferrarival: február 20-án. Aztán  kiderült, hogy csak az anyakönyvbe írtak be 20-át, mert a nagy hó miatt az apa két nappal a fiúcska világra jövetel után ért be a hivatalba. Valójában 1898.…

Sergio Pérez a malajziai 2. helyével valósággal berobbant a Forma–1 élvonalába. El lehet képzelni, hogy milyen őrjöngés volt otthon, Mexikóban, hiszen utoljára 1971-ben, 41 éve, a Holland Nagydíjon állt a dobogón Pedro Rodríguez mexikói zászló alatt. És még abban az évben…

Egyes nagy történetek kezdeténél egészen fura figurákat találunk, ha közel hajolunk a régi fényképekhez. Ilyen Igor Trubeckoj herceg, aki ez első ember volt, aki rajthoz állt egy nagydíjon egy Ferrari nevű autóval. Mindez több, mint 60 éve történt, 1948-ban. Enzo Ferrarinak ez…